Christmas Shortbread Cookies

Passed down from my grandma, Christmas hasn't arrived until my family has baked a batch of these delish, buttery cookies. We love decorating them together, personalizing them for all our friends and family. After rolling them out and before cooking, we gather around the kitchen to add our personal touch to each cookie.

What are your family's holiday food traditions?

Chocolate Nutella Cookies

Chocolate chip cookies are my favorite, but these must come in a close second--chocolate + nutella = heaven. You must try them, as soon as possible! The cookie dough by itself is even better than the cooked cookies!
After working on my honors prospectus all weekend (plus 3 honors contract proposals and studying for a poli sci exam) I loved relaxing and baking these on Sunday!

photo and recipe from here

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 sticks of unsalted butter, room temperature
• 3/4 cup of brown sugar
• 3/4 cup of white sugar
• 1 cup of Nutella
• 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla
• 2 eggs
• 2 cups, plus 2 tablespoons of all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup of unsweetened cocoa
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 cup of chocolate chips

Get Cookin'

1 Preheat oven to 350F. Cream butter in an electric mixer for about 3 minutes until light and fluffy. Add the sugars and Nutella and mix well.

2 Add the eggs, one at a time, beating for 30 seconds between each. Add the vanilla and mix.

3 Sift together the flour, cocoa, salt, and baking soda. Mix into the butter mixture on low speed. Fold in chocolate chips and refrigerate the dough for ten minutes (I refrigerated mine for an hour).

4 Spoon tablespoon-sized drops of dough onto parchment paper lined cookie sheets. Bake at 350F for 10-12 minutes. Allow to cool on the sheets for a minute or two before transferring to a wire rack to finish cooling.

Makes 6 dozen.

No Sugar Cookies

My dad found this recipe that totally cheats the system. The cookies taste like there's sugar (or sugar substitute) but there isn't. Applesauce and raisins do the trick.

Ingredients:
1/2 c. oil
2 eggs
1 c. flour
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 c. chopped nuts (optional)
1 c. applesauce (no added sugar kind)
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 c. oatmeal
1/2 c. raisins

Get Cookin'

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Mix the oil, applesauce, eggs and vanilla.

Add remaining ingredients and mix well.

Drop teaspoonfuls onto a greased cookie sheet and bake for 8-10 minutes.

My dad  and our dog, Sparky. 

Peppermint Chocolate Cookies

These have become a holiday staple for my family. Jesse doesn't really like the hard peppermint candies on top, but everybody else does! Thanks Rachael Ray for this fabulous recipe.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 sticks of unsalted butter (softened)
1 1/2 c confectioners' sugar
1 egg
1 1/2 c flour
1/2 c unsweetened cocoa powder
pinch of salt
chocolate for melting (the recipe calls for dark chocolate; I usually use semi sweet chocolate chips because it saves me a trip to the store)
2/3 c crushed peppermint candy canes

Get Cookin'

With an electric mixer, beat the butter until soft. Gradually add the confectioners' sugar until creamy, then beat in egg.

In separate bowl, whisk flour, cocoa and salt. Gradually add to the butter mixture.

Cut off a large piece of parchment paper; turn the dough onto the paper. Shape the dough into a 12-inch-long cylinder; wrap tightly and roll into a smooth, even log. Refrigerate for 30 minutes; reshape and refrigerate for an additional 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Slice cookie dough log into 1/3-inch-thick rounds. Place about an inch apart, bake until firm, about 18-20 minutes.

After the cookies are done cooking, melt the chocolate.

Spread melted chocolate on each cookie and sprinkle peppermints on the top.

Refrigerate until the chocolate is hard, about 2-3 hours.



Sorry for the picture being so dark. I have an excuse to make these again; I need a better picture!

Quick Cookies: Funfetti Cookies

Sometimes I promise homemade cookies when I don't really have time to spend two hours in the kitchen. However, there is always time to make cake mix cookies. This recipe was on the side of the cake box last year. They're simple, fast and taste like they're made from scratch. Shh! It's my dirty secret.



Ingredients:
1 box Pillsbury Funtetti cake mix
2 eggs
1/3 c. oil

Get Cookin'

Mix ingredients in a bowl (you don't even need to get the mixer out for this!).
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Drop onto ungreased cookie sheet and cook for 9 minutes. Take them out before they look brown. They will stay soft this way.


Update (June 25, 2010): I tried this recipe with a strawberry cake mix last night-they turned out delicious (and pink!)